Portugal ranked among world’s top medical tourism destinations

Portugal has been ranked among the world’s 25 leading medical tourism destinations, reflecting the country’s growing international reputation for high-quality healthcare and specialist treatment.

The ranking, Top 50 Medical Tourism Destinations in the World 2026, published by Travel and Tour World (TTW), places Portugal 25th globally, reflecting the country’s growing reputation for high-quality, internationally accredited healthcare combined with competitive treatment costs.

According to the Health Cluster Portugal, the ranking highlights Portugal’s increasing appeal to overseas patients looking for reliable, specialised medical care in a destination that also offers favourable conditions for recovery.

The country’s strengths include fertility treatment and reproductive medicine, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, orthopaedics, cardiology, oncology, dentistry, ophthalmology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as wellness and recovery programmes.

The Portuguese cities identified as offering the strongest medical tourism services are Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Braga, Faro, Funchal, Aveiro, Cascais, Setúbal and Évora.

Health Cluster Portugal said the recognition reflects the country’s combination of high clinical standards, internationally accredited hospitals and good value for money, factors that continue to drive demand for cross-border healthcare.

Thailand topped the global ranking, followed by Turkey, India, Mexico and South Korea. Malaysia, Costa Rica, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Colombia completed the top 10.

To further promote the sector internationally, Health Cluster Portugal recently launched the Medical Tourism in Portugal online portal in partnership with AICEP, Turismo de Portugal and the Portuguese Association of Private Hospitals (APHP).

Medical tourism has become an increasingly competitive global market, with countries seeking to attract international patients by combining specialist healthcare with hospitality and tourism experiences.

Inês Lopes

Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident